Sir Dwight Venner Memorial Independence Lecture
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Global Campus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Site, will host the Annual Sir Dwight Venner Memorial Independence Lecture on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. at its Kingstown location.
Centred on the topic “The Next Independence: Building the Skills, Talent and Enterprise to Shape Our Future,” this year’s lecture will focus on the skills, talent and entrepreneurial capacity needed to advance national development and help shape the future of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Kertney Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of the St. Kitts-Nevis TVET Council, whose work focuses on advancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Caribbean.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Mrs. Andrea Bowman, former Resident Ambassador of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the Republic of China (Taiwan), former Headmistress of the Girls’ High School in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and educator.
The panellists are Mr. Desron Bynoe, Vice President and General Manager for Barbados at Liberty Caribbean (Flow Barbados); Mrs. Pearlette Hannaway, Senior Education Officer responsible for TVET in the Ministry of Education; Ms. Kimya Glasgow, Founder and Creative Director of Kimya Glasgow Designs Inc., business coach and mentor; and Ms. Keisha Phillips, Officer in Charge of the Centre for Enterprise Development, Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Private Sector Development.
An audience question-and-answer session will follow the panel discussion, giving participants an opportunity to engage with the speakers and contribute to the exchange of ideas.
Established in 1999, the lecture series began with an address by distinguished Vincentian Sir Dwight Venner, former Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). The series continues to provide an important platform for reflection and dialogue on the region’s development and future, honouring Sir Dwight’s legacy through discussions on issues of national and regional significance.
The UWI Global Campus SVG invites the public to join in celebrating the national independence of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines through thought-provoking discussion and meaningful dialogue.
